He told lies: why inquiry refused to give Olympic cyclist the all clear

Page Tools

The Olympic chances of the cyclist Jobie Dajka remain in doubt because he lied to an inquiry into drug use in cycling.

The Herald has learnt that the inquiry, headed by the former judge Robert Anderson, did not clear Dajka because of his relationship with his former teammate Mark French, who has admitted to taking banned drugs, and because of unsatisfactory answers to key questions.

The inquiry did find that Dajka's DNA - and that provided by two other cyclists, Sean Eadie and Shane Kelly - did not match samples taken from two of the syringes found in French's room at the Australian Institute of Sport.

Djaka's position on the Olympic team will be confirmed today by the Australian Olympic Committee, but depends on information provided to Olympic officials by the South Australian police. They are investigating the trafficking and supply of EquiGen, a prescription-only horse growth hormone that was found in French's cupboard.

Dajka has denied any knowledge of the drug.

In his report, Mr Anderson said there were three facts in the case: EquiGen was found in a bucket in French's room; EquiGen could be bought by vets; and Dajka had an association with a vet through his ownership of a greyhound, Keen Model.

AdvertisementAdvertisement

Mr Anderson said Dajka's answers to questions about the greyhound were "very unsatisfactory and included the falsehoods that he did not know the name of the trainer of his greyhound and he did not know the name of the vet who treated the greyhound".

Dajka has said he would "offer to find out" the answers, a response Mr Anderson believed was a move to play for time. "I do not believe for one moment that he did not know the name of the trainer of his greyhound or the name of the vet who treated it," he wrote in the report.

Mr Anderson said Dajka and French were close friends and spent much time in each others' company and that he had been told in evidence that staff had nicknamed them Zig and Zag.

He recommended that his and any other non-criminal inquiries in relation to Dajka's possible involvement in the supply, use or trafficking in EquiGen should be suspended until the police investigation was completed.

Detailing the DNA evidence, Mr Anderson said analysis of the two needles showed it came from an unknown male.

French's DNA was not taken. He had offered to be tested but Mr Anderson declined to take it, saying the inquiry was not into French's conduct.